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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v A.NELSON.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

No. 457,539. Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

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(No Model.) i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. NELSON. FRICTION CLUTCH. No. 457,539. PatentedAug. 11, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY NELSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES BENNETTFORSYTH, OF SAME PLACE.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,539, dated August11, 1891.

' Application filed January 30, 1891. Serial No. 379,636. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY NELSON, rcsiding in Boston,in the county ofSufiolk-and State of Massachusetts, a subject of the King of Denmark,have invented an Improvement in Friction-0lutches, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevationwith the shaft in section, and Fig. 2 a diametrical sectionillustratinga clutch embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a sectionaldetail on line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan and edge view, on a smallscale, of the plate of one set; and Fig. 5 like views of a plate of theother set.

My invention is an improvement on the clutch described in my Patents,No. 384,268, dated June 12, 1888, and No. 406,109, dated July 2, 1889,and relates to the arrangement and adjustment of the follower, to themeans for actuating the follower, and to the construction of thefriction-plates.

The follower D forces the plates 0 and 19 together when shaft A is to beconnected to pulley B, for plates 0 are fast to flange b of pulley B,and plates 19 are fast to the hub of sleeve B, which is fast to shaft A,as is usual in this class of friction-clutches.

The first feature of my invention relates to the mounting of thefollower D, and consists in the combination of the follower D with aplate 0 by means of studs 01 and springs d, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.Plate C forms a cover for the chamber formed by flange b, and isconveniently supported by a hub around sleeve B. FollowerD is drawntoward plate 0 by the springs d and studs d as soon as the mechanismwhich forces it against the plates 0 and p ceases to act Thiscombination is simple and effective anr "eis far preferable to anyiother plan of supporting the follower known to me. It also allows of aready adjustment of the follower with relation to the plates 0 p and themechanism for actuating the follower, by means of pinions F, screws f,and gear J, as shown in the drawings, and it is this combination of thefollower with pinions F, screws f, and gear J which constitutes thesecond feature of my invention. The

screws f are fast to the follower D, and the pinionsF are also nuts, sothat when these pin ions are turned they move toward or away from thefollower, and as they all mesh with gear J the pinions F are readilyadjusted by slight motion of gear J' on its axis. Gear J is formed withnotches to receive dogsj j, each of which fits in a recess formed for itin the outer face of plate O, and is held in that recess by a screw, asclearly shown in Fig. 1.

The cams L act against the follower D through pinions F and adj usting-screws f, and these cams are actuated by the levers M, the leversbeing actuated by the sliding sleeve or cone N, and it is this actuatingmechanism namely, cam L, its lever M, and sleeve N- which constitutesthe third feature of my'invention.

The plates 0 and p are castings, preferably of malleable iron, and aremade thicker at their notched portions than at those portions where theytouch one another. This is also one feature of my invention, as a plateso made operates much better than if made of a uniform thickness, as wasthe common mode, and is much cheaper and also better than if each platewas formed of two thicknesses of sheet metal, one of full size, theother areenforcing plate about the notches, and the two united together.

The operation is as follows: The cone or sliding sleeve N, when in theposition shown in the drawings, spreads levers M, and thereby forces theworking-faces of cams L against pinion F, for when levers M are raisedcams L are also forced outward, and the cam-slots riding on thecam-rolls S force the cams against pinions F, and thereby force followerD inward, which forces the plates 0 and 19 into close contact, therebycausing pulley E, to which plates 0 are connected, to move with sleeveB, to which plates 19 are connected. When cone N is moved back, thelevers M and cams L move back also, the follower D being pulled awayfrom plates 0 and p by the springs d about studs cl.

It will be obvious that pulley E may be fast to shaft A and sleeve Bloose on that shaft instead of vice versa, as shown, and also thatpulley E may be fast on one shaft and sleeve connected together by thestuds (Z, substantially as described.

2. In a friction-clutch, the actuating mechanism consisting of lever M,cam L, jointed to and carried by the lever, and cam-roll S in theinclined slot of cam L, all substantially as set forth.

shafts coinciding. It will also be clearthat lnstead of using cone N thepinions F may be rotated so far by gear J that they will force followerD against the plates, and this is in B fast to a separate shaft, theaxis of the two some cases desirable. I

I What I claim as my invention is I 1. In a friction-clutch, thecombination of pulley B, having a flange b, follower D, plate 0, studs dand springs d, and the plates 0 I ANTHONY NELSON.

XVitnesses:

EDWARD S. BEACH, JOHN R. SNOW.

and 1), plate 0 covering the chamber formed by flange b, and followerDand plate 0 being

